Watch bands



May 29, 1956 K, SPECK ET AL WATCH BANDS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 8, 1955 FIG.!

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INVENTORS 161m Spec/r Jay our/79%; in .L 06

07 .5305 j M fl ATTORNEYS May 29, 1956 SPECK ET AL WATCH BANDS f t T 0 N & 2 6M0 W a: a 6 2 7 N00 T f- 8 I 0 T e r. M Z A h S 7 A flu 2 .4 18 JJ 6 6 G F s M 4 Fa/ nC 7 52 5 3 9 w 8 n w a i G I Fl IL FM 4 1 w 8 m h m a a m 7 w 1 l i F United States Patent WATCH BANDS Kurt Speck, Palisades Park, and Seymour Hauser, North Bergen, N. J., and Joseph L. Hajos, New York, N. Y., assignors to Jacques Kreisler Manufacturing Corporation, North Bergen, N. 3., a corporation of New Jersey Application March 8, 1955, Serial No. 492,888 7 Claims. (Cl. 224-4) This invention relates to watch bands and the like, and more particularly to improvements in watch bands of the type which resiliently grasp the wrist of the wearer.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved watch band which when attached to a watch so harmonizes with the latter as to give the appearance of a custom crafted watch and bracelet combination.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved watch band which when attached to the watch is adapted to partially encircle the wrist of the wearer and to clamp thereagainst for securement of the watch on the wrist.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved watch band of the above described character which provides for safe securement of the watch on the wearers wrist and minimizes the danger of inadvertent or accidental removal of the watch from the wearers wrist.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a generally improved watch band or the like which is simple in construction, and enhances the appearance of a watch to which it is attached, and which may be readily releasablyattached to complementary Watch structure by a layman. r

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved end attachment for watch bands and the like which when attached to a watch so harmonizes With the latter so as to give the appearance of an end attachment which is custom crafted for the watch.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved end attachment for watch bands and the like which is adapted to contain the Watch keeper or attachment structure of the watch whereby the keeper will be hidden from view, the end attachment having structure adapted to be positioned closely adjacent to the body of the watch to structurally blend with the latter.

Still another object of the present invention is to pro vide a new and improved end attachment for watch bands and the like having an improved provision for releasable securement of the end attachment to the keepers or attachments on the watch.

Another object of this invention is to provide a generally improved novel end attachment for Watch bands and the like which presents a highly pleasing, neat and finished appearance.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a watch band in accordance with the present invention shown secured to a wrist Watch;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating the end attachment connector element in position to be attached to or removed from the keeper of a watch;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating the connector element of the end attachment in condition to be secured to or removed from the keeper of a watch;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of an end attachment in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a hollow arcuate shell forming part of the watch band in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a connector element and means for biasing said connector element in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the guide and shoulder member for the end attachment in accordance With the present invention;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the ornamental outer casing for the end attachment for a wrist band in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the watch band 10, formed according to the present invention, is adapted to be releasably secured to the keepers 12 of a conventional watch 14. Watch band 10 comprises a pair of elongated hollow arcuate members 16 which are adapted to conform to the contour below his wrist. Each elongated hollow arcuate member comprises a hollow shell 17 connected to an end attachment 18 by means which will be described in detail hereinafter. The end attachments 18 are connected to the watchkeepers 12 as will be described more fully as this specification proceeds. Partially disposed within shell 17 is a guide and shoulder member 22. Guide and shoulder member 22 is made out of sheet stock such as stainless steel and is provided with an arcuate portion 24 of contour similar to that of shell 17 which is integral with a straight portion 26, the point of connection between the arcuate portion 24 and the straight portion 26 being defined by shoulders 28. Guide and shoulder member 22 is bent into the form shown best in Fig. 11 and part of the flat portion 26 and the upstanding shoulder portion 39 is cut out so as to form two slightly divergent arms 32 which are bent at 34 to form upstanding converging arms 36. The cut-out 31 in the fiat and upstanding parts of the guide and shoulder member 22 terminates adjacent the upper edge of shoulder portion 30 near'the fold line 38. The sheet metal thereafter extends rearwardly of the shoulder portion to form a flat plate-like portion 40 which has sides which converge as the plate extends from the front to the rear of the member 22. Plate like member 40 terminates at its rear edge in a fold line 42 at which point the member 22 is substantially narrowed to form shoulders 44 for a purpose to be described more fully hereinafter and the narrowed remaining part is slotted as at 46 to form downwardly extending legs 48. Legs 48 are bent as at 56 which defines a fold line collinear with shoulders 28 and thereafter the member 22 is provided with two arcuate parallel legs 52 which are in close abutting relation with the arcuate member 24 and which define a slot 54 therebetween.

As heretofore stated, guide and shoulder-member 22 is partially disposed within the open end 21 of the shell 17. In order to fixedly secure member 22 in shell 17, the curved arcuate portion 24 of member 22 is disposed along the bottom arcuate surface 56 of the shell and member 22 is forced into the shell until shoulders 28 abut against shoulders 58 on shell 17. In such a position extension 60 of bottom surface 56 of the shell 17 underlies the solid portion 20 of fiat part 26 of member 22 and extends beyond the point where out out 31 starts. Thereafter part 60 may be bent upwardly to extend along the edge 62 of member 22 to thereby secure member 22 to the shell. In this condition, it will be seen that upper extension 64 on 'the shell 17 overlies the top 40 of member 22 and side extensions 66 thereof may be bent around legs 48 of member 22 to secure the shell to the member.

Disposed within the elongated arcuate shell 1'7, is an elongated arcuate rod 68 which extends through slot 46 in member 22 and terminates within member 22 where it is joined to a U-shaped connector element 70 by any suitable means such as by welding. Disposed around rod 63 is a helical spring 72 which bears against the shoulder formed by legs 48 on member 22 at one end. At the free end of rod 68, a ball 74 having an aperture 76 therein is disposed on rod 68 and the rod has a pinched end 78 to prevent the ball from being removed from the rod. The other end of the spring 72 bears up against ball 74 and the ball is so disposed relative to arms 48 that spring 72 is always held in compression thereby, the shoulder 80 on connector element 70 being normally resiliently held in abutting relation with legs 48 of element 22. To enclose element 22 and thus give the entire watch band hollow arcuate member 16 a finished appearance a housing 82 having dome shaped configuration is disposed over member 22 to conceal that member from view. As can be seen from Fig. 2 of the drawings cover 82 also overlies a small portion of shell 17 to thereby provide a unitary appearance which is exceedingly pleasant to the eye. In order to fixedly secure the cover 82 to the element 22 and shell 17, cover 82 is provided with a pair of depending side portions 84 which extend below flapped portion 26 of element 22 when the cover is disposed over the element and members 84 are bendable towards each other as best seen in Fig. 7, to thereby overlie legs 32 of element 22 and prevent movement of cover 82 relative. to the element 22. With portions 84 overlying the legs 32 of element 22, it will be seen that even when the watch band is viewed from the bottom thereof the working parts of the band are relatively well concealed. It is also to be noted that in addition to portions 84 of member 82 preventing up and down movement of the cover relative to the element 22, cover 82 is provided with a forward shoulder 86 which abuts against shoulders and a rear shoulder 88 which abuts against shoulders 20 and 44 of element 22 to thereby prevent the cover from moving forwardly or rearwardly of element 22 when the cover is disposed in its normal condition as best shown in Figs. 2 and 8.

As heretofore stated, with connector element 70 disconnected from the keeper 12 of watch 14, the element 70 is normally in its retracted position due to the bias of spring 72. In such a position shoulders 80 on connector element 70 abut against legs 48 of element 22 to thereby prevent excessive rearward movement of connector element 70 relative to the front of the end attachment. The bias of spring 72 is relatively great thereby requiring a suitable hooked instrument for drawing the connector to a distended condition, Fig. 6, in which the connector element can be inserted through the aperture in the keeper 12 so as to connect it to the wrist watch 14. After the connector element is inserted through the keeper aperture, the spring 72 is effective for drawing the connector element 70 back into the enclosure defined by cover 82 and thereby bring said cover into close abutting relationship with wrist watch 14. Accordingly, keeper 12 is concealed from view to thus provide a unitary appearance between the watch band end attachment 18 and the wrist watch 14. This provides a custom made appearance for the watch band and wrist watch and greatly enhances its beauty.

As is best seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings, wristwatch All 14 is provided with a relatively fiat vertical side 90. The confronting portions of cover 82 on the end attachment 18 is provided with an upper surface 92 and a lower surface 94 which are angularly disposed from each other to thereby provide a sharp pivot line 96 which abuts against edge of the wrist watch when the wrist band is connected thereto. Since the point of connection of connector element 70 and keeper 12 is disposed a given distance from the line of abutment defined by the reference character 96, a turning moment results which causes the watch band to rotate counterclockwise about axis 96. This turning moment brings the watch band into engagement with the wearers wrist, and since spring 72 is a relatively stiff spring, the engagement of the watch band with the wearers wrist is one with a relatively large clamping force to thereby maintain the wrist watch on the wearers wrist. it will be seen therefore that the single spring 72 is effective not only for bringing the end attachment 18 into close abutting relationship with the wrist watch '14 to thereby provide a custom made appearance of the watch and wrist band combination, but is also effective for biasing the wrist band into clamping engagement with the wearers wrist to thereby hold the watch on the wearer. It will be obvious in the event that the side edge 90 of the watch 14 is other than straight, the configuration of the end attachment 18 will have to be formed differently than disclosed heretofore. Accordingly, the particular configuration of the end attachment illustrated herein is shown by way of an example and this invention 'is not to be construed as being so limited.

Although, as heretofore stated, spring 72 is effective in and of itself for holding the wrist band in sufficient clamping engagement with the wearers wrist to safely secure the watch to the wrist, if desired a safety chain 98 having a pair of V-shaped spring connectors 100 may be attached to each of the shells 17 to thereby effect a complete encircling of the wrist to positively prevent inadvertent disconnection of the watch from the wearer. In order to secure the safety chain to the shells 17, each shell is provided at its surface 102 remote from the wrist watch with a slit 104 into which V-shaped connectors 100 may be inserted. The V-shaped connectors are provided at the edge adjacent to the safety chain 98 with shoulders 106 so that when the V-shaped connectors 100 are inserted sufficiently far through slit 104 the shoulders 106 will align with the edges of slits 104 and thereby provide a positive engagement between the V-shaped connector and the shell 17. The self-resiliency of the connectors hold them in the described condition as shown in Fig. 2 to thereby positively secure the safety chain 98 to both shells 17. If it is desired to wear the wrist watch without the safety chain all that need be done is to pinch the ends 108 of the V-shaped connectors towards each other and thereby provide for the V-shaped connectors to clear the slit 104 and thereby be removed therefrom.

As heretofore stated the force of spring 72 holding connector 70 in its retracted position is considerable, and accordingly, a tool is necessary for withdrawing the connector element within the cover 82 to condition it for connection with the keeper 12 of the watch 14. In order to facilitate this connection after the hooked element has withdrawn the connector 70 from within the end attachment 18 sufiiciently far to have shoulder 80 clear abutments on shoulder 30 adjacent line 39 of element 22, the connector element may be moved downwardly (see Fig. 5) and released since in such condition the shoulders 80 on connector element 70 engage abutments 95 to thereby prevent the connector element from moving back into its normal retracted position. In such a condition the keeper of the watch may be slipped through the loopof the connector element 70 and'thereafter the watch may be moved a slight bit upwardly in order to disengage the shoulders 80 from abutments 95 and permit the connector element to draw the keeper into the end attachment to thus conceal the keeper from view and provide the watch and band with the custom made appearance heretofore discussed. The shoulders 86 on cover 82 are arranged so that if desired, after the connector element has been moved outwardly of the end attachment, it may be moved upwardly and engage the shoulders adjacent the upper portion thereof to prevent the retraction of the connector element 70 back into the end at tachment. In this position, as in the position shown in Fig. 5, the connector element is conditioned for attachment with the keeper. If, for any reason, it is desired to detach the watch band from watch 14, all that need be done is to grasp both the watch and the watch band and to rotate the watch band about pivot line 96 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2. This clockwise rotation, will clearly cause the keeper to move outwardly of shell 82 and thus draw connector element 70 with it. When the connector element has been withdrawn sufficiently, the keeper may be moved laterally of the connector element to thereby disengage it. When the disengagment is eifected, spring 72 is effective for retracting the connector element back into the end attachment as heretofore described.

Although we have herein shown and described one form of the present invention, it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A watch band adapted for securement to a watch, comprising a hollow member adapted to conform to a wearers Wrist and having an open end adapted to be disposed adjacent the watch, a slotted shoulder adjacent said open end of said hollow member in fixed relation thereto, a connector element disposed on one side of said slotted shoulder adjacent said open endof said hollow member and adapted to be connected to the keeper of a watch, an arcuate member fixedly secured to said connector element and slidably extending through the slot in said shoulder and terminating within said hollow member, a helical compression spring disposed about said arcuate member and abutting against said slotted shoulder at one end, means adjacent the end of said arcuate member remote from said connector element for operatively engaging said spring to prevent the latter from being removed ofl? said arcuate member, said spring being effective for normally yieldably holding said connector element in a position within said hollow member, whereby when said connector element is secured to the keeper of a watch, said spring is eifective for drawing said connector element and keeper into said hollow member to thereby give said watch band and watch a unitary, custom-made appearance.

2. A watch band adapted for securement to a watch, comprising a hollow member adapted to comforrn to a wearers wrist and having an open end adapted to be disposed adjacent the watch, a slotted shoulder adjacent said open end of said hollow member in fixed relation thereto, a connector element disposed on one side of said slotted shoulder adjacent said open end of said hollow member and adapted to be connected to the keeper of a watch, an arcuate member fixedly secured to said connector element and slidably extending through the slot in said shoulder and terminating within said hollow member, a helical compression spring disposed about said arcuate member and abutting against said slotted shoulder at one end, means adjacent the end of said arcuate member remote from said connector element for operatively engaging said spring to prevent the latter from being re' moved off said arcuate member, said spring being efiective for normally yieldably holding said connector element in a position within said hollow member, whereby when said connector element is secured to the keeper of a watch, said spring is eifective for drawing said connector element and keeper into said hollow member to thereby give said watch band and watch a unitary, custom-made appearance, and an abutment in fixed relation to said hollow member, said abutment being so shaped that it is adapted to engage said connector element when the latter is out of said position in said hollow member for releasably holding said connector element out of said position, whereby to facilitate the connection of said connector element with the keeper of the watch.

3. A watch band adapted for securement to a watch, comprising a hollow member adapted to conform to a wearers wrist and having an open end adapted to be disposed adjacent the Watch, a slotted shoulder adjacent said open end of said hollow member in fixed relation thereto, a connector element disposed on one side of said slotted shoulder adjacent said open end of said hollow member and adapted to be connected to the keeper of a watch, an arcuate member fixedly secured to said connector element and slidably extending through the slot in said shoulder and terminating within said hollow member, a helical compression spring disposed about said I arcuate member and abutting against said slotted shoulder at one end, means adjacent the end of said arcuate member remote from said connector element for operatively engaging said spring to prevent the latter from being moved off said arcuate member, said spring being effective for normally yieldably holding said connector element in a position within said hollow member, whereby when said connector element is secured to the keeper of a watch, said spring is effective for drawing said connector element and keeper into said hollow member to thereby give said watch band and watch a unitary, custommade appearance, and another shoulder in fixed relation to said hollow member, said other shoulder being adapted to engage said watch along a given line which is disposed upwardly of the point of connection of said connector element and said keeper, whereby said spring tends to pivot said hollow member about said line of engagement to thereby provide a clamping action of said watch band against said wrist.

4. A watch band adapted for securement to a watch, comprising a hollow member adapted to conform to a wearers wrist and having an open end adapted to be disposed adjacent the watch, a slotted shoulder adjacent said open end of said hollow member in fixed relation thereto, a connector element disposed on the open end side of said slotted shoulder and adapted to be connected to the keeper of a watch, an arcuate member fixedly secured to said connector element and slidably extending through the slot in said shoulder and terminating within said hollow member, a helical compression spring disposed about said arcuate member and abutting against said slotted shoulder at one end, means adjacent the end of said arcuate member remote from said connector element for operatively engaging said spring to prevent the latter from being moved off said arcuate member, said spring being effective for normally yieldably holding said connector element in a position within said hollow member, whereby when said connector element is secured to the keeper of a watch, said spring is efiective for drawing said connector element and keeper into said hollow member to thereby give said watch band and watch a unitary, custom-made appearance and another shoulder in fixed relation to said hollow member, said other shoulder being adapted to engage said watch along a given line which is disposed upwardly of the point of connection of said connector element and said keeper, whereby said spring tends to pivot said hollow member about said line of engagement to thereby provide a clamping action of said watch band against said wrist, said other shoulder being so shaped that it is adapted to engage said connector element when the latter is out of said position in said hollow member for releasably holding said connector element out of said position, whereby to facilitate the connector of said'connector element with the keeper of the watch.

5. A watch band and end attachment adapted to be connected to the keeper of a watch, comprising a hollow arcuate shell adapted to conform to a wearers wrist, a shoulder member secured to said shell in fixed relation thereto, said shoulder member having a slotted shoulder adjacent said shell and another shoulder remote from said shell, said other shoulder comprising two spaced legs, a connector element, an arcuate member fixedly secured at one end to said connector element and extending through said slotted shoulder into said shell, a helical spring in said shell disposed about said arcuate member and bearing at one end against said slotted shoulder, means on said arcuate member at the end remote from said connector element for engaging the other end of said spring to prevent the removal of the latter from its disposition about said arcuate member "and to maintain said spring under compression whereby said spring is efiective for normally yieldably holding said connector element against said slotted shoulder, said connector element being movable away from said slotted shoulder to a position in which it is engageable with said other shoulder to prevent said connector elements movement to its normal position against said slotted shoulder.

6. A watch band and end attachment adapted to be connected to the keeper of a watch, comprising a hollow arcuate shell adapted to conform to a wearers wrist, a shoulder member secured to said shell in fixed relation thereto, said shoulder member having a slotted shoulder adjacent said shell and another shoulder remote from said shell, said other shoulder comprising two spaced legs, a connector element, an arcuate member fixedly secured at one end to said connector element and extending through said slotted shoulder into said shell, a helical spring in said shell disposed about said arcuate member and bearing at one end against said slotted shoulder, means on said arcuate member at the end remote from 8 said connector element for engaging the other end of said spring to prevent the removal of the latter from its dis- "position about said arcuate member and to maintain said spring under compression whereby said spring is etlective for normally yieldably holding said connector element against said slotted shoulder, said connector element being movable away from said slotted shoulder to a position in which it is engageable with said other shoulder to prevent said connector elements movement to its normal position against said slotted shoulder, and a cover overlying said shoulder member and fixedly secured thereto for concealing said shoulder member, said cover having its watch confronting surface adapted to engage said watch above the point of connection of said connector element and keeper whereby said spring will be effective for pivoting said watch band and end attachment to provide a clamping action of the watch band against a wearers wrist.

7. A watch band adapted for securement to a watch comprising a hollow arcuate shell adapted to conform to the contour of the wearers wrist, a housing fixedly operatively connected to said hollow shell, 21 connector-element having a normal watch disengaged position in which said connector-element is disposed within said housing and concealed thereby, means for resiliently holding said connector element in said normal position, and complementary shoulder means on said connector element and said housing for releasably preventing movement of the former to said normal position, said connector element being adapted to be connected to the keeper of a watch when held out of said normal position by said shoulder means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,310,859 Eklund July 22, 1919 1,711,985 Bigney May 7, 1929 

